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| L-R: Eric Anderson(Comm For Tourism), Comr Derek Moses(Unical SUG president) |
The Students union government president of the University of Calabar, Comr Raymond Derek Moses has threatened to file a law suit against the Cross River state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Eric Anderson for assault on him and other student union leaders.
Trouble ensued on 16 May, 2020 when the SUG president and his team were alleged to have "exchanged words" with members of Eric Anderson's Covid-19 enforcement team in Calabar. The Student union leader according to reports had paid a visit to an erstwhile Unical SUG president at his residence, Comr Afufu Anthony and were on their way out (outside his gate) when they were accosted.
Video evidence shows that, Comr Derek and his team were being escorted out by Afufu when he was approached by the men of the task force who 'attemted' to force him (Afufu) into thier vehicle for not wearing Nose mask, Afufu argued that he was just inches outside his gate hence he didn't see the need to use a nose mask and he had broken no law, the arguments got out of control as people within the vicinity started trooping out and the Task force at that point began the use of force by flogging some of the union leaders and the SUG president.
Comr Derek had in a press statement demanded an official Apology from the commissioner within 48 hours, specifically demanding that the Commisioner States that he (Derek) was "Innocently brutalized" failure in which he 'will pursue legal action' against the commissioner.
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| Eric Anderson and some Student Union leaders |
On 17th May, 2020, without a statement of apology or explanation to the general public, pictures of the Commissioner, Eric Anderson alongside some student Union leaders surfaced on Social media with different captions such as "Eric Anderson apologises to brutalised students union leaders"..."Peace at last" etc, in reaction to this, the SUG president through his legal representative, F. E. Obiosio Esq, issued a Press statement, distancing his client(Derek moses) from any of such "conflict resolution" event;
The statement reads:
"We find it offensive and objectionable to our collective sensibilities and intelligence that Hon. Eric Anderson and his allies would conjure some of the victims of their flogging and boxing parade into accepting alternative dispute resolution, the Covid-19 Taskforce having admitted their condemnable and brazen acts, only for him and his sponsored media allies to take to their social media handles to convey a mendacious position."
"It is noteworthy to state here that the supposed move made by Hon. Eric Anderson was calculated to calm frayed nerves and to misrepresent the exact facts of what transpired, looking at the enormity of the fundamental rights implications on the government and the gory outlook it paints the unwholesome conduct of the Covid-19 Taskforce before right-thinking members of the society."
"To set the records straight, Hon. Eric Anderson had advanced the sum of N10,000 only, to the erstwhile Unical’s SUG President, Comr. Afufu Anthony to carry out medical examinations in the interim, and to ascertain the level of possible injuries suffered by the victims which may be latent. This is a theatric carefully choreographed and orchestrated by the Commissioner which has been exploited by opportunists, bootlickers and sycophants, to give undue credit to the emergency move made by Hon. Eric Anderson. Such meagre and paltry sum given, in all honesty, cannot assuage the degradation, humiliation, loss of esteem and injuries suffered by the victims, which in our opinion, may not be quantified in monetary terms; more so, as some law students undergoing their vocational training at the Nigerian Law School including medical students of the University of Calabar were equally beaten. This has invariably reduced their social standing in the eyes of reasonable men. There can be nothing more pretentious than the obvious."
"In fact, the conjectures peddled on the social media concerning the supposed settlement terms, are figments of the writers’ imaginations. The victims could not have reduced themselves to such a ridiculous extent in accepting some unimaginable restitution as full discharge of the damage done, looking at the quantum of unsized attention, publicity and commentaries it has already generated."
"Since the magnanimity of the victims in receiving Hon. Eric Anderson, out of courtesy for his office and love for peace has been exploited to score a political point by the social media press releases which appears to have his imprimatur, we have equally decided to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion by exploring all legal windows and avenues with a view to enforcing our fundamental rights."
At the time of filling this report, all efforts to reach the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Eric Anderson by Voiceofyala proved abortive.
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